Machine for laying off surface contours to scale



Aug. l, 1933.

C. B. DANNENBERG El' AL MACHINE FOR LAYING OFF SURFACE CONTOURS TO SCALEFiled March 26 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. l, 1933.

MACHINE FOR LAYING OFF SURFACE CONTOURS TO SCALE' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. B`DANNENBERG ET AL Filed March 26, 1931 gmx/Miou Daunenbett Aug. 1, 1933.

C. B. DANNENBERG ET AL MACHINE FOR LAYING OFF SURFACE CONTOURS TO SCALEFiled March 26, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mail, E v

'l mmf Z7 /g'L' g3 /5 36 In/vento 62B.Danrzenbew dftofuwq Aug, 1, 1933c. B. DANNENBERG ET AL 1,920,633

MACHINE FOR LAYING OFF SURFACE GONTOURS TO SCALE Filed March 2e, 1951 4Sheet-'srlei' 4 tv b1 t@ Z7 E] E1 f f f5 57 62 W75 ZZ Z9 A o Z #T791fhg-' L- 1?. annenbew 1I. WhLa/ken Maw n I f l duim,

VPmnfedAug..1.1933 f 1,920,633 i Charles B. vDannenberg fand HarryWilmington, Del.

Application March 26, 193,1-.2-"Serial o...`v525,49f n' i eolaims.((JiQzsd--s' This invention relates to improvements in ma- Figure-"1 isa Verticall sectional view'taken "on chines for laying out drawingcontoursand pervtheline 7;#1 of Figure 4,`- Uf in, f f tainsparticularly to a machineof this charac-2 Figure 8 is a verticalsectional View taken on ter devised especially for chartingfthe' crossthe line 8-8 ofFgure 1,Y l '5 `sectional contour of a roadway or anyother piece vFigure 9 n is a', view" in sideelevation .of the 60 v l 5of ground. I 'j lower end ofthe contour rod., jf ,1 Theprimary object ofthe present invention l' Figure 10' is. a View inlfr'ont elevation ofthe is to provide a machine which will operate vto lowerlfendofthecontourlrodi `j l ,l l rproduce quickly and accurately bothsectional U Uponreference more particularlyto the draw- ,10 andlongitudinal contours of roads; 4andl otherYings,.Wl'iere'inlikenumeralsof reference-indicate5 r surfaces, beforeand `after. improvement,v to fa `corresponding partsr` throughout" theseveral cilitate `the making of accurate estimates of cuts views, itWillbese'en that the vpresent invention i and fills required inreconstruction. n 'generally 0T badly COII'lDISeS `JWO Units; of

Another object of the invention is tonprovide` Whichconstitutes themachine propenand which i A l5 a machine `which will lay off upon achart the IiS *indicated tlferllfall'y by the, liirieral 1; While 70 v..20 in which certain substitutions of `parts maybe contour of thesurface ov'erwhich it is` moved, to` the" Oihi CODSttU-GS" the i"lrlyingmechanism a prescribedscale. .f zthereior when it isf, in operation, andwhichis `Still another object of the inventionis'to pro- 'indatedgenerally'by the n'meral-Z. '1

description of Athe 'carryingor supporting unit 2 '15' readily madeto'change the scale ,toy which the fOI themahile'l, Thisunitconsislts'of arvpair i contour obtained is drawn. l y l0f Aigffles 2pi-c rde geahl .ofi-'which is indicated A still further. object `of theinventionfis to generally by the'numeral A3.-;y -Each of these rods nprovide `a, .machine of` the above. de'scribedpharis madejup ofauseriesiof Asections 4 which'ftele;, i

" acter which is `of extremely 'simpleconstructiom -SC0D8 One'nto theother and which are prefra- `8() but which will operate *to accuratelyproduce the blYOf rectlnglllar"CYOSSlSeCthal design?L The resultsdescribed vbottom `and intermediate sections -of ,the vrodsk Otherobjects andadvantages of the present haVe, at their 1.191081'edsfthehstf Screws' 5by invention vwill become apparentas thedescription means .0f which the VSIIOUSfSeCOI'lS are ,Secured 39 of thesame proceeds, andthe inventionwill f-be n adjusted relation.Thellipfsection of each 35 best understood from a consideration-'of thefol- 0f the rods-Carrie? a 5116311.66 and' Suitable bear' '3 lowingdetailed descriptiontaken in connection ing, 7,13Sl11115t1ated. f f `g'r with the accompanying drawings forming part The bottom of the lowersection of eachrod has i of this specification, with the understanding,Secured' thereto 1a' 'foot 8 and belOWfhSfOt'the f however, that theinvention :is not confined to1"0d slponfedas indicated 819.50 that tiay919' any strict conformity With'the.shovvirngfof*thev beaslymadetQ-penetate the ground, theY foot drawings but may be changed or,modied'so 3:0?COUISQISQIYIlgto prevent toodeepp'enetrw long Aas suchchanges or 'modifications' mark no tion When Weight iS applied* to therod. i material Ydepartnire from the salient (features of The IOWGISection 01' pfton 0f .eahrod has 40 the invention as expressed4 intheappended i pvotally Secured thereto, by means of a collar 195 10, oneEend cfa lever 111.' One'f'fthje 'levers' 11` ,haslan -eye 12 attachedthereto while the'othery 7 claims.

In the drawings:` 1' Figure 1 is aview in elevationof the supporting hasmounted: thereon a cable reel 13; vstructure Afor the charting .devica iu When the machine supportingV unit 2 is setup;y

. Figure 2 'is a View illustrating the rvopweraioneofA `f01"115@ T01Example, aS in the laying QtOfthe the invention. f I `cross-sectionalcontour ora road/the r0d5,3iare Figure' 31S 9; sectional view taken :onthe une .set up at opposite sides of the road in' the manner V- ,3 3ofFgureL f indicated'and a cable`14-=of asuitablecharacter, K Figure 4is a. view of the vcharting mechanism which'is wound 'upon the reel"13,is fed'from the' f e i 5.0 looking into vthe front 4-thereof, thefront door reelacrossy the pulleys Sat-the upperzends of -the 1.05. vhaving been removed.v i n y rods andconnected-by anysuitable means as,for

Figure 5 is a view in top `plan xof the. casing examplepbyfthe snap hook1,5, withthe'eye 12 `and mechanism :associated therewith. i y llpntthe`Olhfllevl.*The necessary` adjust--` Figure 6 is a` horizontalsectionalA -vie'w taken ments arefmade'tothe rods-toarrange'the por- .onthe une 6-6 fof Figures. i n v timoffthe gable. 1.4iI Abetweenthervlleys, per- 11.9

' therethrough Mounted upon each of the wallsV fectly horizontal or.level, suitable'hanging levels 1,6. being suspended from the cableadjacent each 'rod for this purpose, as illustrated.

After setting up the supporting structure j or unit for the machinethesame is mounted upon lie the adjacent top and bottom Walls of thehousing to which they are pivotally connected by Y to'an arm 49, uponthe end of which is mounted apencil or stylo pen 50. vlf necessary, thisarnr -may be so positioned that if a pen is used the pins 21, Theopposite or free endof each door has a flange 22 at its vtop and bottomedges which engages over the adjacenty wall to support the door and holdit, through frictionalcontact with the walls of the housintl in closedposition.

The housing 17 has a'vertical partition walll 23 extendinglongitudinally therethrough from one end toward but terminating short ofthe other end andthis partition wall extends through the top'ofthehOuSDg and further extendsthe full length thereof above the top, asillustrated. This exterior extension of thel partition fwall, whichis'indicated by the numeral 23', is formed atits upper edge to providethe depending spaced parallel shield portion 24 between which, and theportion 23', are mountedthe shafts 25 and 26, eachof which shaftscarriesa sheave wheel 27. Adjacent one end of the housing 17 the top and lbottom Walls y28 and 29 respectively have thel vertically alignedvopenings 30 and 31- formed longitudinally of the frame in which they,are,

mounted. These frames 32 have projecting from each lower longitudinaledge .a flange 34 and in the wall adjacent each ange there is formed a.longitudinally extending series of apertures 35 in which 'the securingscrews 36, which pass through-the flanges, may be yselectively engaged.Passing vertically through the Yhousing 17,

,through the openings 30 and 3l and between the pairs of bearingscarried in the frames 32, is a contour rod 37 upon the lower end ofwhich .lis mounted, upon suitable anti-friction bearings, latracer'wheel 33;. One longitudinal edge of the rod 37 is'formed toprovidea rackv39. ,Y

Suspendedbetween this bracket shafts, one of which is indicated bythenumeral 4l while the other is indicated by the numeral 42, and uponthe shaft 41there'ismounted a Y rack -gear 43` and a vpinion 44 whileupon ythe other shaft, ory the shaft 42, is a spur gear 45 which mesheswith vthe pinion 44`and a rack'v pinion '46. A"The rack'gear. 43 engagesthe teeth of the 'rack 39 vso that as the contour rod 37 is shiftedvertically it will be readily `seen that rotary motion will betransmitted to --the pinion f 44 and through this tothe spur gear 45andto the rack pinion 46.

I The shafts 41 and/42 are removableso that 'the gears and theirassociate pinionsl maybe changedas desired to alter the scale of thecontour chart formed by the machinaas will be hereinafter more fullyexplained.

Extending vertically before and having toothed engagement with the rackvpinion 46 is a racl;

47. The top and bottom walls 28 and 29., of the housing, are providedwith suitableopenings to v permit the lends of this rack rto extend tothe exterior of the housing and uponl these top bottomwalls, upontheside of the racl; opposite the side upon which the racl; pinion 46 islo cated,are mounted guide and guard plates 48 against the faces ofwhich thev rack 47 moves and which serve .to protect the rack againstinjury. e I f Within the housing the rack has secured therepoint thereofwill be directed downwardly slightly kso thatthe inl: Will readily flowtherefrom upon the chart with which it is in contact.

, The rear'or back door 19 ofthe housing has c out therefrom the plates51 which are bent inwardly to be `disposed at right angles to the'inneryface thereof, as shown in Figure 8. Theseplates are sc ,formed from thebody of thedoor, that,

in parallel relation thereto adjacentthe lower partor bottonrof thecasing. Byforrning the plates 5l in this ina-nner a portionof the rearloo door vhas formed therein the window or opening 52, While this isithepreferred method of -pro--v yidng `the plates 5l, it is, of course, tobe under stood'that they may be formed separately and attachedr totheinner face of the :door if ydesired. v

Above and-below the plates 51, and spaced therefrom, are the largerrectangular plates 53. These plates 53 arelslightly elongated in thedirection of the length of the housing'and .each has a slot formedlongitudinally therein from LL1.15 y

theend edge nearest the contour rod 37, which v might be referred'toasthe 'rear edge,` as indi cated at 54. Adjacentthe opposite or forwardend edge there is formed, in-theinner longitudinal edgeof each of theplates 53, a slot 55 yand each of the plates 5l' carriesa bearing 56:for the reception ofthe trunnion ends '.57 of a roll. 53 which isdisposed verticallyl between the plates 53. i

Extendingvertioally through the housing, from the bottom'29 thereof,toand through the top 'wall 28 is a shaftfathe upper end .of whichv issupported in a suitable hearing. 60 which is carried bythe partitionextension 23', while the lower end has a bearing in the bottomiwall29 ofthe housing. 5 rl`his shaft is disposedv across the forward edges oftheplates 53 and near its lower end it carries a pinion 60.

The plates 5 3 are provided,- adjaoent Athe shaft 59,'with a series-ofbearings 6l in which may be selectively mounted,"adjacent its endatheshaft 62. 'Thisshaft has mounted,thereon-near its lowery end, aninterchangeable gear. 63. and between thefplanes of the plates 51 itcarries aroll drawn thereby. Theil-,01158 acts asz-a pressure Sii ,structure. portion of the rcross-section paper layingacross 1 the table70 will move` in and contact `with the roll to keep the chart paperpressed firmly against thefeed. roll 64I and a suitable spring, suchasis indicated by the numeral .66,5 may be employed `for maintainingthis contact between therolls rm. The lower end, of' the shaft 62extends through a slot formed in the bottom of the hous-r ing andcarries thereon the head 67 byl means of which,` rotary motion mayber/given to ,they shaft manually when necessary. S y

l Thefupper end of. the shaft 59 carries a bevel gear V68 which mesheswith a similar gear'69 which is carriedupon the horizontally disposed ishaft 26 which supports the adjacent sheave The inner edges of thesmaller horizontal plates 51 are slightly arcuate in contour, as shown,and

are connected by a vertical plate'l; Rotatably mounted between thesesmall plates 51, behind the vertical plate 70, is a spring held takesuproll '71 and between the plates 53.is disposeda'shaft` 72 which extendsthrough a rollof cross-sectionpaper' '73,the ends yof thisfshaft being'located in the slots 54 and held in'position in theinner ends` thereofby spring llatches 14. The shaftfof the o take-up roll 7l extendsdownwardly through the underlying plate 53 and through a slot vin thebottomwall 29 of the housing, terminating upon the exterior thereof inthe head 75.'

' In preparing the machine for use, the free 4which it is attached. l i.n

As will be seen the ,mechanism mounted between theA plates 51 andtheplates 53 which `includes the paper roll carryingshaftZ,,theroll carriedthereby, the pressure and feed-rolls 58 and `64 respectively and thespring tensioned take-up shaft 71 are all carried by the rearA door 19of the Thus, when the door lis closed, the

marking end ofthe pencil or pen 50.. f f

In operation,4 after the unit 2 is set up, the unit 1 is suspended fromthe c'ablel4` by mountingthe sheave wheels 27 thereon in the mannerillustrated. By then moving the runit 1 along the` cablef14 from ioneVend to the other, while the ,l

wheel 38 ofthe contour rod rests upon theground, the contour rod will beshifted verticallyin accordance'withthe formationof the ground sur'-lface over which the wheel 38 moves.

i .This will, ofcourse, impart corresponding rotary movement to the gear43 which is in mesh with the rack 39 'and to the gear and pinion 45 and46 and cause the verticalreciprocation of the rack 47 which is in meshwiththe pinion 46.

`The marker 50 willthus be made to move. ver`` tically over the face ofthe paper with which it end of the cross-section paper from'the roll y73isk drawn .from the rear side across the plate 70, `which maybe referredto as the paper table,` passed between the rolls 58 and 64 and about theroll 64 to the spring tensioned take-up roll ,71 to makes vone irevolutionl and -thus'turns the 120'- is in' contact. At the same timethat the marker j y50 is being moved vertically, inthe manner described,rotary motion is imparted to the feed roll 64 'to draw the paperacrossthe table `r'I0 at a regulated speed. This rotation of the feedroll 64 is obtained through the medium of the sheave wheel mounted uponthe shaft' 26 which, by

. reason of its contact with the stationary cable 14, rotates and turnsthe bevel gears 68 and 69 and thus transmits the necessarymotion throughthe pinion to the gear 63.

By the use of gears properly proportioned-in the mechanism the sectionaland longitudinal contours" of roads or other surfaces may be laid anyscale desired. Asan example,` in' order td lay rod must moveverticallyatithe ratio ofqs'ixty .to

one yforzthe rack :47 which "carries the marker. Y The gears 43 and'45,v therefore are provided with isixtyv aand ninetyss'riX- teeth:respectively, while the; v i pinions 44and 216.areprovided-.respectivelyfwith Y eight and twelve teeth. ".In order ltogivey thetsame scale: for'the longltudinalcontour the paper passingbeneath `the marker must move one-,vfth of 1 an inch for each foottraveledmby the unit `1 'and` i90 having a tread' circumference ofexactly one yfoot Y this result is obtained by employing sheavewheels 3.:out-onthepaperpassinglfacrossgtheltableyto i. y outthej contouro'fafroad surface'toa scaleof scale or cross-section of the road,thenthe tracer with theo'ther. elements operated thereby accord.-

The bevel or miterigears are of-f24'-pitch.with` 'i one in'chpitchdiameter andforreach revolution 1' of the'sheave mounted, upon the shaft26"these gears `turn the shaft59 onel revolution. 1;

" Since fthe miter gears `turnf` the shaftjone" theV 12tooth pinion l6l;Awhich is employed, also tooth spur gear 63, which,isinimesh-therewith,

one-tenth ofa revolution. The friction roller or` feed roll 64 hasan'exact vcircumferenceof two. inches andjis thus turned one-tenth ofits cir` cumference {or one-fifth of an inchythus moving the paper the'samedistancel AIt willbereadily seen, from ythe 'foregoingthatv bysubstitutingthe gears` shownyand; described,

with others of properly ;proportioned1` circurnhfer-El f sence,thegacontour` outlined vron theppa'per, of, ythje i .revolution for`eachfoot of travel (of thej'sheave, 100` ground surface over which thetracerf-wheel passes,v may be laid off to Iscales of yone-quarter,onethird or one-,half inch to the foot as desired.`

,fIn order vto prevent movement off/thel contour rod 37, when'the 4unit11 `is removed ,fromk the `sup- 1 porting lcable 14,l a,latch,;,f1ngeri'7,6 is yoscillxattably f `mounted upon a suitable partof',themechanism,`

asshown, so; that: itmay 'bejreadily swung into' ,engagement v withytherack 39 yof ,the contour rod, valsy1desired,to-,hold the same` againstmovement.

The front `door 18 of the housing-risprovided with a glasscovered'window '7.71 through 'whichy V Athe operation'of 4the markingpen or `pencil upon" the cross-sectionpaper maybe `viewed without vthe,necessityloflopeningi the. front door of the `4 jhousing. V ,W 1,' Q

yThe Vpaper take-up roll 71,i's resilientlyheld .i against `movement by'the' spring memben whichksurroundsj the lower end vof the shaft ,1on1-which this roll is mounted, .asshown inWEigureI 8LThelowerendofthishspring bearsagainstthe -headffzs whiley the uppe'rend,thereof, bears fagainst a `washer' '79wl iiclj1` surrounds the shaft l,

and which bears against'the underface of the lower plate 53. i Itwillthusfbe seen that asthe paper passes Vovervthe friction roll 64 itwillfold -up behind the table '70 ,and 'maybe takenup manually asdesired. `,It will also be seen that y 14:0

ner before taking it vup on the rollv 71 it Vmay be by permitting thepaper to `fold up in this manreadily drawn through the opening in thevrear door 19 `for inspection.

It win bereadiiy seen kthacwnen the grsare changed, foru the purpose ofaltering thevscale n thelbody of ,the housing v in the -rnanner shownand'described;V 1 ,i f i i From the foregoing description it willbereadily seen that by the use of the machineembody- I 5 ingA :the presentinvention the surface contour of a section of ground .may be readilycharted to an4- vexact scale, `the' length of `the vground area charted`being limited only by the ability ofthey users of 'the' machine tomaintain thev sectionof cable, upon which the unitx1` is mounted, atithe proper. degree of tautness necessary for the movement of the unitina-straight line above the vground.' v

f .Havinglthus vdes'cribedvthe invention, what is claimedis: y 1; rY t 11.` A machine' for laying off road and other` surface contours toscala-comprising an'elongated` substantially 'rigid member supported forvertical reciprocatory movement and having means uponv one endtovfacilitate its movement in vertical position over the surface to beplotted,` a marking element, mechanism coupling f saidfelongated memberVwith' said marking element `for translating movement at a reduced ratiofrom thek member `to the .marking element, a chart engagedr byand movedvrelative to themarking elementv in a path at right angles tothedirection of movement thereof, and means for supporting the structurefor movement inxa horizontal path over the surface being charted.

"2. A machinel of the character described forv laying off thehorizontal'and vertical contour of a road'or other surface to scale,comprising a casing, a rod extending through saidcasing andsupported-forrvertical movement and adapted to have its lower end movedover the surface to be charted, a chart sheet in thecasing supported formovement in a horizontal path, a marker having contact withA said sheetand supported for movement in apath at right angles to 'the pathfollowed bythe sheet, rgear mechanism opto be charted.

lerated by said rod and connected with the marker for movingthe latter adistance bearing` a vdefinite relation to the distance Xmoved bythe rod,and means for supporting sad'casingy`for movement in a horizontal pathover the surface 3. vA machine of the character described, com p'risingacasing, a rod disposed vertically and extending through said casing andhaving a lWheel .upon the other end thereof,.an elongated memberextending vertically through the casingl and supported for longitudinalmovement', a

marker elementcarriedv by said member, mechanism connecting said rodVvith vsaid elongated member wherebyy movement of the rodwill betransmittedon a'reduced scale to'the member,

` means'-v for supporting a' paper' for movement against saidmarkerin apath at right anglest .the path ofy movement of` the'marker, and meansfor supporting the casing for movement'in the horizontal path.

4. Amachine for laying off surface contours upon a chart, comprising abody', means for supporting the body for travel in a horizontal pathover` the surface to be charted, means carried by the body for attachingit to the supporting means for movement thereon, a chart mounted on thebody for movementy atl a speed proportional to the movement of the bodyon the ,supporting ment against the chart in a path at right angles tothe direction of movement ofrv the chart, and

means shiftably carried by the body `for move} ment over and in contactwith the groundvandr connected with said marker for effecting themovement thereof f 5. A machine for laying off surfacecontours -uponachart, comprising a body, means for supporting the body fortravel in ahorizontal path .over the surface to becharted, means coupling the bodywith andfor travel upon the-said sup-v porting means, a chart tablecarried by the body, av chart overlying the table for movementthereover, a marker mounted-for movement over lthe chart and tabletransversely of the path of travel of the chart, a` ground engagingelement connected with the bodyv for reciprocal movement, and couplingmeans between the ground engaging element'and the marker tion to themarker.

6. In a machine for charting surface contours, a casing having a Wall,.means for supporting said casing atan elevation over the surface to befor transferring 'mo" means, a marker mounted on the body for m'ove-`chartedA for movement horizontally over such surface, a chart tablecarried by'said walland disposed within the casing, said table beingdesigned to have a chart paper moved thereover at a speed proportionalto .the movement of the casing over the surface being charted, anelongated member mounted rfor reciprocal movement in a casing in a'pathat right angles to the path of movement of the chartpaper, a markercarried bysaid elongated member for- Contact with a chart paper passingover the table, a second elongated `member; extending through andrecipro-

